Back in the mid–eighties, I well remember a so–called garden writer from the U.S. coming to Canada on a regular basis as a paid « EXPERT » on the behalf of a consumer home show.

He was formerly a DETROIT POLICE OFFICER, and had published several books containing RIDICULOUS SUGGESTIONS for the control of pests and other gardening chores.

The suggestions included « SPECIAL FORMULAS » that contained ODD ingredients including BEER.

I have not heard of him lately, and was thankful that most of the advice being offered to Canadians for their gardening was by Canadians ( although that advice offered by some ex–pats remains questionable ! ).

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Paul Tukey

Last week, I learned that HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF with the im-portation of one Paul Tukey coming to Canada for several SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS and to introduce his NOT–SO–GREAT HOME–MADE VIDEO called A CHEMICAL REACTION, which includes HIS interpretation of just what happened in HUDSON, QUÉBEC, that was the beginning of BANNING chemical pesticides in Canada.

This thing with Paul Tukey seems to have started back on September 6th, 2008, when I received the following E–MAIL MESSAGE from him :

<< I would like to interview you for a book I am writing about the history of the lawn care industry in North America. Would you have some time for such a pursuit ? All the best. >>

I responded on September 9th as follows :

<< Yes, I could do that at some point, but I should point out that I am not exactly a supporter of organic–only lawn care ! Did you wish to do it by telephone ? >>

He then responded on the 10th :

<< Our first conversation should be by phone. That would be fine. Just give me a time. Thank you. I would like to talk about Milton Carelton [ sic ] and his and your views on 2–4, D [ sic ]. >>

I found it interesting that a SUPPOSED radio, TV, and print journalist would not only spell Dr. R. Milton Carleton’s name INCORRECTLY, but also MISS–SPELL the short form name of the weed–control chemical 2,4–Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ( 2,4–D ) !

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ─

On July 17th, 2009, Tukey’s Ghost–Writer quoted Dr. Carleton in a lamentable article on clover.

See later segment.

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By the time I wrote back to him, I had already checked him out both on the Web, and also in the Membership Directory of the Garden Writers Association of America ( of which I am the only Canadian to have been President, 1979–81 ).

Though I have not continued my membership ( because I do not believe the organization does as much for writers as it used to ), I do remain in close contact with certain old–time members.

My own membership goes back to the mid 60s, whereas I note Paul Tukey has only been a member since 2005.

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Dr. R. Milton Carleton

I was also a close friend of GWAA member, [ and prominent author ], the late, Dr. R. Milton Carleton [ 1899–1986 ].

As I have written previously, I used to see him at least two times per year, including annually at the Chicago Flower Show.

When I began to encounter opposition to 2,4–D in Ontario in the 90s ( and even earlier ), I wrote to « Milt » ( as we affectionately called him ), and here follows what he wrote back to me :

<< I probably know more about the history and use of this chemical than anyone alive. Dr. Franklin D. Jones, who discovered its phyto–chemical properties and patented its use as a control for unwanted plants, walked into my office right after WWII [ World War Two ]. >>

<< He said he had a marvellous weed killer for drive[way]s. My answer was « FRANK, WE HAVE PLENTY OF CHEMICALS THAT WILL DO THAT ─ EVEN OLD CRANK CASE OIL WILL DO THE JOB. WHAT WE NEED IS A BETTER CONTROL FOR CRABGRASS ! » >>

<< «UNFORTUNATELY, » he replied, «IT DOESN'T DO TOO GOOD A JOB ON GRASSES; IN FACT THEY DON'T DIE UNLESS YOU USE SO MUCH THAT I SUSPECT IT'S THE CARRIER THAT KILLS, NOT THE 2,4–D.» >>

<< This set me to thinking ─ if it doesn't kill crabgrass, maybe it won't kill bluegrass, which proved to be true when I ran tests. That was the birth of modern selective weed killers. >>

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ─

Dr. Carleton is a FOUNDER of the Modern Green Space Industry in North America.

In 1957, Dr. Carleton published « New Way to Kill Weeds », in which he discussed at length about 2,4–D.

He was also a founder and a member of the FIRST Board of Directors of The Illinois Turfgrass Foundation, a trade association founded on December 22nd, 1959 in the State of Illinois.

Dr. Carleton also wrote articles for several prestigious organizations, such as American Horticultural Society, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

In 1959, he published the book « Your Lawn, How To Make It and Keep It », as well as « The Small Garden Book » in 1971.

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Green Space Urban Legend Confirmed

« Milt » usually carried a flask around with him that contained 2,4–D from which he would drink on request « JUST TO PROVE IT HARMLESS ».

Anyone who knew the distinctive smell of 2,4–D knew that he was actually drinking THE REAL STUFF.

It didn't seem to harm him too much ─ he lived to the age of 87, and almost up to the end, drove annually from Chicago to his summer home off the U.S. East Coast.

He moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1980.

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The Erroneous and Suspicious OCFP Report

The product [ 2,4–D ] was definitely NOT developed to eradicate rice fields, as was stated in the April 23, 2004 Ontario College of Family Physicians ( OCFP ) « Review of the Effects of Pesticides on Humans ».

2,4–D is a HIGHLY IMPROBABLE HERBICIDE to be used to « eradicate » rice.

In fact, it very quickly became the world’s most widely used rice herbicide, used to protect rice from yield–destroying invasive weeds.

It is still extensively used by Japanese rice growers today.

It has been an important tool used to increase rice production worldwide( and the production of wheat, barley, corn, oats, rye, etc ... ) and thus having a significant impact on reducing world hunger.

And, a closer examination reveals that nothing of what is presented should even be considered.

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The Failed, Bankrupt, and Unlicensed Former Lawn Care Operator

So now we have Paul Tukey ...

... said to be a failed and bankrupt lawn care operator who was apprehended by local authorities for applying pest control products without the necessary licensing, according to Force Of Nature ...

... coming to Canada with A BUNCH OF LIES, SCARE TACTICS, AND INNUENDOS, and attempting to take supremacy over what a distinguished scientist like Milt Carleton continued to defend all through his life in a very effective way.

By the way, it is thought by many that the reason Tukey is coming up here at this time is that some of the activists in Ontario and elsewhere have decided not to take as strident actions, as they have been doing, simply because of the threatened and ongoing LAWSUITS against both organizations and individuals.

Solution : bring in an American who will be free of actions by we Canadians.

That also brings up another interesting point ...

When Tukey returns to the U.S., will he be reporting his « profits », both direct payments, and other « goodies », he received in Canada to the Canadian and/or American tax authorities ?

I understand he does not accept a penny for any of these appearances; instead he has all such monies directed to his little business « SafeLawns », and thus tax–free.

I believe Paul Tukey ought to have been banned from entry to Canada, since he is clearly trying to interfere with the court fights which are currently going on here with regard to the banning of 2,4–D and other « cosmetic lawn chemicals », both in Ontario, and against the federal government ( by Dow AgroSciences ) as regards to the banning in Québec.

The worst of this whole mess is that if they remain successful, the enviro–maniacs will go after items such as CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS next, and NON–NATIVE PLANTS will not be far behind that.

Do we want that ?

If folks do not want to use the PERFECTLY SAFE, CANADIAN–GOVERN-MENT APPROVED chemicals to control weeds and other garden problems, then they are welcome to do so.

But those who wish to go a simpler route should have the right to do so, and not be dictated to by a small bunch of enviro–maniacs WHO KNOW LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT THE VERY LARGE TOPIC ON WHICH THEY PROFESS TO BE EXPERTS !

And, we don’t need any further Americanization of gardens and gardening here in Canada.

Just ask any American tourist what they think of our gardens and cities vs. theirs in the U.S. !

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Six pieces of evidence that clover is not a weed ( ?!?!? )

July 17th, 2009

Paul Tukey’s Ghost–Writer

Once upon a time, before the advent of synthetic weed killers for the lawn in the late 1940s, most American lawns contained white clover.

Because no formulation of weed control could be developed, that left both grass and clover, but killed everything else, clover was then lumped in with the weeds in subsequent marketing campaigns.

The scientist who developed 2,4–D, the most common synthetic herbicide, was publicly apologetic because his new product had the unfortunate side effect of eliminating clover.

« The thought of white Dutch clover as a lawn weed will come as a distinct shock to old–time gardeners, » wrote Dr. R. Milton Carleton in his book, A NEW WAY TO KILL WEEDS in 1957. « I can remember the day when lawn mixtures were judged for quality by the percentage of clover seed they contained. The higher this figure, the better the mixture. »

Today’s newfound emphasis on natural lawn care has folks taking a second look at clover as a primary lawn plant. The benefits are numerous :

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Six Good Reasons White Clover Is Not a Weed( According to Paul Tukey )

If his expertise were valid, he would not be so blatantly and consistently WRONG with his recommendations.

If his expertise were valid, he would NOT have managed an unlicensed lawn care business into inexplicable failure and bankruptcy.

Overall, the opinions of Paul Tukey are VALUELESS and WORTHLESS in matters concerning the maintenance of turfgrasses.

He is NOT COMPETENT to give advice !

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Clover IS NOTa valid alternativeto conventionalgrass seed

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Environmental–Terror–Hazards

Enviro–Maniac–Activists concoct FEAR–MONGERING, FRAUDULENT LIES, MISCONCEPTIONS, COERCION, THREATS, DECEPTIONS, TERROR, and PARANOID CONSPIRACIES to DECEIVE the public into be-lieving that families are in some NON–EXISTENT DANGER with conventional pest control products.

They also SCAM Government Officials into the NEEDLESS, SENSELESS, and MALICIOUS prohibition of FEDERALLY LEGAL, SCIENTIFICALLY SAFE, TOTALLY IRREPLACEABLE, and ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSABLE pest control products.

Many Enviro–Maniac–Activists and their Environmental–Terror–Organizations are simply RICH and GREEDY and AVARICIOUS SALESMEN that HAWK their own line of BOGUS, INEFFECTIVE, and often HIGH–RISK alternative green products !

When conventional pest control products are prohibited in a community, Enviro–Vermin–Salesmen move in with their own STUNNINGLY EXPENSIVE and HIGHLY PROFITABLE but BOGUS alternative green products.

Enviro–Maniac–Activists that recommend clover for lawns can be accused of DEPRAVED INDIFFERENCE, since their recommendation can endanger, and even kill, children, adults, and pets.

Environmental–Terror–Organizations, such as Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment ( C.A.P.E. ), along with United Church of Canada, has endorsed a HAZARDOUS campaign that RECKLESSLY recommends White Dutch Clover seed for lawns.

Paul Tukey recommends clover for lawns.

Either directly or indirectly, C.A.P.E. is also a huge support and source of financing for Paul Tukey and his Enviro–Terror campaign in Canada.

Additionally, C.A.P.E. acts as a discreet SEED SUPPLIER as it evidently reaps some financial benefits from the sale of White Dutch Clover.

The C.A.P.E. objective is very clear.

C.A.P.E. conspires to have pest control products prohibited.

Then ...

The Modern Professional Lawn Care Industry is annihilated.

C.A.P.E. and its colleagues move in with their HIGH–RISK–BUT–HIGHLY–PROFITABLE green alternative products for lawns.

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Canada’s best-known horticulturistfor the past four decadesas celebrity writer, and radioand television broadcaster

For the past four decades he has been writing, and presenting radio and television broadcasts, with practical garden hints on stations such as CFRB, AM740 and CFCA.

He also presented all of Canada’s Weather Network gardening vignettes, hourly from April to October annually for a decade; as well as being the spokesman for The Garden Claw across the country.

A life–long resident of Toronto and a horticulturist well known all across Canada, Drysdale is now a resident of Parksville, British Columbia on Vancouver Island, just north of Nanaimo.

He has renovated an old home and has a new garden there.

His radio gardening vignettes are heard in south–western Ontario over two radio stations : Easy 101 FM out of Tillsonburg at 2 PM weekdays and CD98.9 FM out of Norfolk County at 11:40 AM weekdays.

As a speaker, Drysdale has addressed amateur and professional groups all across Canada, as well as in the U.S., England, Holland, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, and aboard cruise ships.

Drysdale graduated from East York Collegiate in 1957, with the Ontario Secondary School Honour Graduation Diploma.

He was active and held several executive positions in the East York Garden Club, 1955–69.

He attended The Niagara Parks Commission School of Gardening ( now NPC Botanical Garden and School of Horticulture ), 1958–61, where he won all five awards presented at the graduation.

He initiated/edited the school’s first yearbook.

From graduation in March 1961 until August 1962, Drysdale worked with the Shur–Gain Division of Canada Packers where he developed new consumer fertilizer products ( Feed ‘n Weedaway, for example ), wrote various consumer literature, and consulted with consumers and the turf industry.

He was then employed with Sheridan Nurseries Limited, 1962–69, Drysdale was Chief Horticulturist and Advertising Manager, with full responsibility for their catalogues and botanical nomenclature.

In December 1963, Drysdale began writing a feature column for a new magazine, Canadian Nurseryman, and continued to do so until March 1969.

He was also a member of the founding committee.

In 1964, he was appointed part–time Executive Director and Editor with the Canadian Parks/Recreation Association (CP/RA), with the office in his home.

In 1969–70, he was employed full–time as CP/RA Executive Director, and Editor of Recreation Canada.

He set up CP/RA's first permanent office in Ottawa in early 1971.

From 1971–1978, he free–lanced as a horticultural writer and published/edited Recreation Canada.

In 1973, he was appointed Regional Director ( Canada ) of the Garden Writers Association of America ( GWAA ).

During 1979–81 period he served as President of the Garden Writers Association, the first–ever Canadian to hold the office representing over 1,000 members, mostly in the U.S.A.

In March 1975, Dent Canada published his book Gardening Off The Ground that he wrote on the invitation of the publisher.

It was the first Canadian book for balcony gardeners.

In July 1996, he self–published a completely revised and enlarged version, including his own colour photos.

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William H. Gathercole and Norah G

National Organization Responding Against Huje that TERRORIZE, HARM, and THREATEN the Green Space Industry (NORAHG)

Force Of Nature presents THE WHOLE TRUTH FROM AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE from National Organization Responding Against Huje that seek to harm the Green Space Industry (NORAHG). It is a series of Reports destined for the Green Space Industry, the Environmental Terror Movement, Governments, and the Media, nationwide across Canada, the United States, and overseas. The information presented in Force Of Nature has been developed for the education and entertainment of the reader by providing a sequence of historical events WITH COMMENTARY. The neutrality of these Reports might be disputed.

Huje is a term used to describe Enviro Maniac Activists that routinely concoct FEAR MONGERING, FRAUDULENT LIES, MISCONCEPTIONS, COERCION, THREATS, DECEPTIONS, TERROR, and PARANOID CONSPIRACIES that are DESIGNED to SCAM and DECEIVE the public into believing that families are in some NON–EXISTENT danger with conventional pest control products. Huje also SCAM and DECEIVE Government Officials into the NEEDLESS, SENSELESS, and MALICIOUS prohibition of FEDERALLY LEGAL, SCIENTIFICALLY SAFE, TOTALLY IRREPLACEABLE, and ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSABLE conventional pest control products.

All information, excerpts, and pictures contained in this Report were found somewhere on the Internet, and may be considered in the public domain, serving one of the following purposes ― archive, education, promotion, publicity, or press release. The events, characters, companies, and organizations, depicted in this Report are not always fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, may not be coincidental. Force Of Nature is TOTALLY INDEPENDENT of any trade association or business operating within the Green Space Industry. Don’t thank us. It’s a public service. And we are glad to do it.

Force Of Nature, and its various incarnations, is the brainchild of William H. Gathercole and his entourage. Mr. Gathercole is a principal FOUNDER of the Modern Professional Lawn Care Industry in BOTH Ontario and Quebec. He holds a degree in Horticulture from the UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH, and another pure and applied science degree from McGILL UNIVERSITY. He has worked in virtually all aspects of the Green Space Industry, including GOLF, PROFESSIONAL LAWN CARE, and CHEMICAL INDUSTRY, and has served in public affairs, workplace safety, and environmental compliance. Mr. Gathercole has supervised, consulted, programmed, and/or overseen the successful and safe execution of HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of pest control applications in the urban landscape. He has trained, instructed, and consulted with THOUSANDS of turf managers and technicians. Mr. Gathercole has also been an agricultural agronomist. For many years, Mr. Gathercole was a contributing columnist for TURF & Recreation Magazine, Canada’s Turf and Grounds Maintenance Authority. Mr. Gathercole is now retired from Force Of Nature, although his name continues to appear as the FOUNDER. Mr. Gathercole is personally credited for crafting the Golf Industry Exception Status, that endures to this day. He is also the creator of the signs that are now used for posting after application. His vast knowledge of our long journey with Environmental Issues is UNDENIABLE ― hopefully ! For FIFTEEN YEARS, the strategies designed and implemented by Mr. Gathercole and his colleagues guaranteed the control of Environmental Terror for the entire Modern Green Space Industry across Canada. Mr. Gathercole’s involvement in Environmental Issues reached a fevered pitch in the 1990s, when he orchestrated, with his colleagues, legal action against the Forces of Environmental Evil in the Town of Hudson, Quebec. Mr. Gathercole is the ONLY TRUE RELIABLE WITNESS of the Hudson Affair.

Mr. Gathercole and his entourage have followed the evolution of ENVIRONMENTAL TERRORISM for over a quarter century. Through Force Of Nature, Enviro Maniac Activist Huje are identified on the basis of their statements, activities, affiliations, and whereabouts. Even though each Enviro Maniac Culprit is a misguided adversary, each still deserves our respect. The use of the terms Maniac, Culprit, Terrorist, or Basterd are not accusations of any legal wrong doing. Force Of Nature is simply holding Enviro Maniac Activists accountable for conspiring to change public policies that TERRORIZE, HARM, and THREATEN the Green Space Industry. Their pretentious prohibitionist rants have created LOSS OF REVENUES, BUSINESS FAILURES, BANKRUPTCY, and UNEMPLOYMENT, inflicting DESPAIR and DESTITUTION for THOUSANDS of hapless victims throughout the Green Space Industry. The DEPRAVED INDIFFERENCE of Maniac Culprit Terrorist Basterd Huje is viewed as a form of TERROR, HARM, and THREAT against the Green Space Industry.

3 comments:

What a shame that this poor man seems to have fallen into a veritable tarantella of fear, jealousy, denial, outraged ego and mental unwinding. Has he developed Alzheimer's, perhaps, or possibly, ironically, become a victim of his own toxin-laden enthusiasms? Or... could these paroxysms of rage be this man's frantic response to the admittedly heart-gulping realization that his whole career -- hence his many-decades long reputation -- has been predicated upon beliefs and developments now generally accepted as having been dangerously fallacious from their inception, and highly toxic to many more organisms than was originally thought, back in the post-WWII days?

He would come out looking, and BEING, far more honourable, believable, admirable and, above all, TRUSTWORTHY if he could make a supreme effort to conquer his bowel-churning fear, putting aside ego and self-interested tirades in favour of making a long, careful, honest and OBJECTIVE study of the organic/natural/'green' advocates' legitimate concerns about the witches' brews of pesticides, herbicides, etc. concocted in the labs of the unprincipled, for the profit of the greedy, from some of the deadliest chemical combinations on the planet!

Mr. Drysdale might emerge from such delving, one would hope, a wiser and more informed man (I have to wonder: does he already know the answer, but feel he's already dug himself in so deep that there's no turning back now? BUT, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CASE! After all, most of us at one time or another clamp onto a 'poisoned bone' of some sort and run with it for awhile, until we finally wise up and drop it. But, luckily for most of us, we don't have such a public forum (or vested interests...?) as Mr. Drysdale, which puts him at huge risk of being humiliated, vilified, ridiculed, and rejected in any number of ways -- so his fear and fury are completely understandable, distasteful and untenable as one may find their expression.

But just think, Mr. Drysdale: how wonderful, what a laudable legacy to leave in your wake, and how utterly admirable if you were to face your thousands of devoted admirers and say something along these lines (and, yes, you'd probably find it VERY hard to do, even to the point of cold sweats and nausea, but it just might save you from whatever's destroying you from inside. It might be worth at least a think-about):

"You know, friends, I'm terribly sorry but I've been s-o-o wrong -- in fact, maybe even willfully blind -- about such a crucial issue, for such a long time, and I want to talk to you about it. I really and truly didn't know it back then, but I do now, and I've got to get this off my chest to you before it kills me... or you, or someone dear to you. I only wish I'd learned all this sooner, and not been so stubborn and vindictive, for all our sakes. From now on, though, I promise you that I'm going to do all I can to help those enviro-crusaders I've been dissing to turn that toxic juggernaut around! Now that the scales have fallen from my eyes, I'm going to spread the word. I've come to believe that all of us working together -- you and I, Margaret Attwood and David Suzuki and, yes, Paul Tukey (mea culpa, sir, mea maxima culpa!) along with millions of others -- we can do it. We can accelerate this 11th hour push to turn things around, to stop our headlong rush into an environmental Armageddon. I may not have kids or grandkids, but I know many of you do, and it will be the major part of my mission, from now on, to try to make this a much safer world for them and their descendants, one protected by birds, insects, mulch and companion-planting for starters -- not the products of BigChemiKill Corp.! I'm done with them; I've come over to the other side, the NATURALLY green one. From now on, if I go on crusade, it's going to be in support of a righteous cause, and I hope you will join me."

Much as I hope for this turnabout in perception, I fear it probably won't happen, and it almost causes me despair. Because, Mr. Drysdale, you COULD do it, if you WOULD.

What a pity if you can't or won't do something along these lines, Mr. Drysdale. I believe that you have the power and the influence to be a force for such great good in your field, to mitigate -- to a much larger extent than you might believe -- the ongoing, evil, greed-driven destruction of the vulnerable, natural world which you profess to hold so beautiful and so dear to you. Please, I beg of you, PROVE IT -- to yourself, as well as to your many admirers -- with your words and your actions. Besides, just THINK of the heroic legacy you would leave; so many people would love you for it.